Dippenaar leads Eagles to victory

Eagles 259 for 3 (Dippenaar 92, Jacobs 82) beat Titans 258 for 5 (de Villiers 89, Rudolph 60) by 7 wickets
Scorecard

The Eagles were crowned the 2004-05 Standard Bank Cup champions after an exciting seven-wicket win over the Titans at Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein. A match-turning innings of 92 from Boeta Dippenaar and a well-timed 151-run third wicket partnership in 147 balls with Davey Jacobs ensured that the Eagles reached their target - the highest made on the ground this season - with eight balls to spare.

Winning the toss and batting first, the Titans once again made the perfect start with Jacques Rudolph and AB de Villiers stamping their authority on the game in putting together a 134-run opening partnership. De Villiers was first to go to his 50, in 44 balls as he adjusted well to a good batting strip. Rudolph followed, after being bowled by a no-ball with the second ball of the innings, with his 50 coming up in 65 balls.

Thanks to some tight disciplined bowling from Nicky Boje, Deon Kruis and Cliff Deacon, the Titans lost their way in the middle overs. Johannes van der Wath took advantage as he became the first bowler this season to take 20 wickets, inducing Rudolph into a false shot to be caught behind for 60. Zander de Bruyn had added 25 when he edged a slower ball from Kruis to the keeper while de Villiers followed five balls later for 89 after failing to clear mid-on off Deacon. The big-hitting Justin Kemp ran himself out on 18 as Boje did some fine fielding from short cover.

The final overs saw Daryll Cullinan and Albie Morkel take 50 runs off the last five, with Morkel striking the only six of the innings to end on 22. Cullinan was run out off the last ball of the innings for 32 as the Titans ended on 258 for 5.

The fielding was well below the normal Eagles standard. Sloppy ground fielding allowed extra runs to be taken while Rudolph was dropped twice and de Villiers, Cullinan and Morkel all enjoyed reprieves.

The Eagles made a solid start, getting to 49 before Loots Bosman was caught behind off Ethy Mbhalati for 16. The 50 followed, three balls slower than the Titans' 50, as Morne van Wyk became the third player to score 500 runs in the current season. The wicket of van Wyk, caught at mid-on off Morkel for 44, slowed the run rate down with the second 50 taking 84 balls.

Dippenaar, dropped early in his innings, and Jacobs both started off conservatively but with the rate climbing above seven, the acceleration started in the 26th over when 144 was required off 20 overs. The next six overs produced 51 with Dippenaar going to his 50 off 52 balls, and the 100 partnership came up in 107 balls.

Dippenaar was run out for 92 with 29 runs required for the win, leaving the stage for Jacobs to hit the winning runs with a six in the 44th over. Boje finished on 10 while Jacobs scored 82 not out as the Eagles added the Standard Bank Cup to their Standard Bank PRO20 Series trophy.